Tobacco-stemming machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. B. UNDERWOOD.

TOBAOGO STEMMING MAOHINE. No. 591,436. Patented Oct.- 12,1897.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS (No Mow.) 4 Sheets-.Sheet 2.

J. B. UNDERWOOD. TOBACCO STEMMING MAUHINE.

Vkdermmz,

' WITNESSES:

' (No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 3.

J. B. UNDBRWOOD. TOBACCO STEMMING MACHINE.

No. 591,436. A Patentgdflct. 12, 1897.

A TTORNEYJ U ITED STATES;

PATENT Strict.

JOSEPI-I'B. UNDERWOOD, ()F FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

TOBACCO-STEMMING MACHINE.

sriscrric'erron forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,436, dated October 12,- 1897.

" Application filedptl'une so, 1896. Serial No. 597,575. on model.)

To (tZZ whom' it may coiwcrn:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. UNDERWOOD, residing atFayetteville, in the county of Cumberland and State of North Carolina, have.

invented anew and Improved Tobacco-Stemming Machine, of which the following is a specification. f

My present invention relates to tobaccostemmingmachinesin which the leaf is fed with the buttof the stem to'stripping and drawing means, and moreparticularly refers to improvements on machines of this character disclosed in my PatentsNo. 543,143, dated July 23, 1895, and No. 556,324, dated March 10, 1896. i

Primarily this invention seeks to provide an autoinatically operated stop fm'echanism adapted to temporarily'sto'p the forward pas: sage ,of the leaf from the feed-table to the stripper-rollersjduring the stripping opera tion of a preceding leaf.

The invention also has for its object to provide a feed mechanism which will serve to feed the leaf uniformly and directly and deliver the said leaf to the strippers with its stem held at rightangles to the axis of the strippers.

Another object of this invention isto provide a combined guide and initial feed mech anism adapted to form a support for the leaf.

as it is passed fr'omthe'end of thefeed-blelt' to the stripping-rolls, and also to grip the said leaf and positively feed it into engagement with the stripper rolls,

A further feature of thisinvention is to provide certain improvements on the stripping-rolls, whereby they will be rotated uniformly in a direction opposite the feed of the parted as the leaf is discharged frOmthedelivery end of-the feed devices and carried forward to engage the draw-rolls. i i

With a number of other objects in view,

which will be hereinafter referred to, the'inw in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved tobacco-stemming machine. Fig. 2

after referredto.

Fig. thepivotedcradle arranged to carry the ini- '-thestop devices hereinafter referred to. 1 0 is'a detail .viewof a portion of the cradle- :operating device.

jthe draw-rolls, and the supplemental stripper-rolls, the main stripper and supplemental stripper rolls having their contacting faces covered withcard-clothing. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the main and supplemental stripping-rolls provided with smooth grooved stripping-faces, the initial feed or guide rolls being shown at their feeding position. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 7 is a side elevation illustrating tial guide or feedroll and the upper main stripper-roll and to lift the said stripper-roll as the guide-roll is pulled down'to a feeding position. Fig.8 is a sectional view illustrating the position of the upperstrippe'r-roll and the initial feed and guide rolls as the leaf is fed to the draw-rolls. .Fig. 9 is a detail viewillustratingthe crank and sweep arm mechanism for operating the cradle and t r Fig.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the main or supporting frame, B the feed-table, and. O the stripping and separating chamber, the general arrangement of such parts being'as most clearly shown in V Fig. 1 of'the drawings. leaf, and whereby they are adapted to be I D -'D indicate the main stripping-rolls,

'whichixmay be arranged as shown in my former patentsreferred tot'. a, stationary, as shown in Fig. 2, and arranged to have an intermittentreverse motionto serve both as feed and stripping'means, or they may be arranged to rotate in one direction only, reverse to the feed'of the leaf, and to part as such leaf is passed between them to the draw-rolls, as shown in Fig. 4, the detail construction and operation of which will hereinafter be fully set forth.

The stripping-rolls in the present invention,

are also provided with means for retarding the leaf as the stem is drawn by the drawrolls, which may be in the nature of grooved rolls F, of the kind shown in my former patents and illustrated in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings, or rolls having card-teeth D D, as shown in Fig. 4, which teeth are set tangentially and in the direction of the feed of the leaf, so that as the rolls rotate reverse to the movement of the leaf they will have a su fticient yielding action to embrace the stem and skin the leaf therefrom without tearing or carding it.

E E indicate the drawing-rolls, which in the present application are shown constructed and operated precisely like those shown in my patent dated March 10, 1896, No. 556,324.

The supplemental stripping-rolls F maybe arranged as shown in Fig. 5 and formed of three grooved rollers'held to rotate at a speed greater than the rotation of the draw-rolls.

For operating certain kinds of tobacco I prefer to employ a pair of rolls F, as shown in Fig. l, of a larger diameter than the drawrolls and provided with radially-projected straight card-teeth f f. This latter combination of drawing-rolls and supplemental stripper-rolls admits of a positive stripping of the small adhering leaf particles on the stripped stem and also of a positive discharge of the stem to the rear of the rolls F. As the rolls F are of a greater diameter than the drawing-rolls and as such rolls F in practice are driven at a speed greater than the drawing-rolls, it is manifest that the passage of the stem through the rolls F at a speed equal to the rotation thereof will be retarded so long as the stem is held by the drawing-rolls. Hence the stem is thereby held practically fixed in its relation to the rolls F F,and thereby receives a full and complete stripping or brushing action, as the teeth f will spread and pass along each side of the stem, it being understood, however, that as soon as the stem passes beyond the drawing-rolls the swift rotation of the rolls F F will impart an impetus to the stem which will force it directly rearward and thereby prevent the said stem being carried around the rolls F.

By referring now more particularly to Fig. 6 it will be noticed the feed-table is provided with a central division portion G, whereby it is divided into two sections, each of which is subdivided by guides G into a series of feedways G G, such arrangement being provided to admit two operators feeding the machine at the same time, side brackets g 9 being provided to support the leaf-holding boxes H H, as clearly shown in Fig. l'.

The feedways G are of a width sufficient to admit of the free passage of theleaf lengthwise, but narrow enough to prevent the leaf moving toward the stripping-rolls crosswise, or at an angle other than a right angle to the axes of the stripping-rolls.

Each feedway G has a separate endless feed-belt J ,which passes over a suitable guideroller at the discharge end of the table, and

an adjustable roll J at the front end, the roller J being driven by the cog-gear K, which meshes with the master drive cog-wheel L, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

So far as described it will be readily seen that by providing a feed mechanism as described the machine will be of great capacity, as the leaves can be quickly laid upon the belts by the operators and uniformly fed to the stripping mechanism.

In my other patented machines above referred to a space is provided between the discharge end of the feed-belt and the strippingrolls, through which the separated leaf portion is adapted to fall down into a suitable receiver. In practice this open way is of a width of about three inches. As the leaf from the feed-belt must travel over this space to the stripping-rolls I have found that sometimes the tobacco-leaf will drop down into this space and fail to properly engage with the stripping-rolls. To overcome this objectionable feature and provide means whereby a bridge or rest is formed for the leaf as it passes over the said space and whereby the feed of the leaf, as also the feed of the stripped portion of the leaf down into the receiver, will be facilitated, I have provided the means illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Such means comprise a fixed bridge member or plate M, disposed over the roller J, and a swinging rctating roll N, preferably grooved as shown, the ends at a of which are reduced and project through curved slots 0 O in the sides of main frame, concentric with the rim of the wheel L, such ends it n being also projected through the slots 1) p in eradle'members P P, pivotally connected with the shaft ends of the upper main stripping-roll, when the main stripping-rolls are arranged in the manner shown in Fig. 2, to have an intermittent reverse motion, but when used in connection with stripping-rolls arranged to rotate uniformly in one direction to part for the passage of the butt of the leaf to the drawingrolls such cradles P are pivoted in the manner most clearly shown in Fig. 7 and in the manner presently described in detail.

One of the reduced ends a of the roll N has a cog-gearN, (see Fig. 1,) which meshes with the main gear L, while the opposite end projects into a slotted lever member R, the purpose of which will also presently be described. The roll N is also mounted in the ends of a pair of sweep-arms S, loosely mounted upon the shaft L of the main wheel L, as clearly shown in'Figs. 5 and 9, by reference to which it will be seen that one of the arms S is connected to a link member T, which is also connected to a crank-arm U, secured to a rockshaft U, which projects at one side of the main frame and carries a pendent crank-arm U the stud u of which is held to travel in a cam-groove w in the combined cam and gear wheel V, the particular construction of which is best shown in Figs. 3 and 10, and which, when non-reversible stripper-rolls are used,

has a continuous internal cog-rim W, but

when used in connection with the reversible stripper-rollsit has a mutilated cog-gear 10 as shown in Fig. 3. At this point it should be stated that when myimprovements so far as described are combined with strippingrolls having an intermittent reverse motion the cam-groove, the mutilated gear, and the connections for operating the sweep-arms S are so arranged relatively that as the stripping-rolls are rotated to feed the leaf to the drawing-rolls the roll N will be drawn up from under the fixed bridge member and into the open waybetween the stripping-rolls and the feed-belt, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and thereby serve as a bridge to hold the stem end of the leaf in a proper position to enter the stripping-rolls, it being manifest that the feed of the leaf will be greatly facilitated by the forward rotation of the roll N. As soon as the stem has been caught by the drawingrolls and the stripping-rolls reverse to strip the leaf the roll .N will be moved back again to a position under the fixed bridge-plate to leave a free passage-way for the fall of the separated leaf, the downward or drop movement of which is also greatly facilitated by the forward rotation of the roll N, which, it should be stated, during the operation of the machine continuously rotates forwardly.

In my patent dated March 10, 1896, a combined guide and cleaner roll is fixedly held in front of and near the upper end of the upper stripper-roll, the purpose of which is to prevent the leaf being drawn up over the upper stripper-roll and also to clear suchroll of adhering particles of tobacco.

In this invention a roll V is provided for such purpose,which, instead of being fastened to the main frame, is journaled in cradles P, which are journaled on the projecting ends of the shafts of the upper stripping-roll when the stripping-rolls are arranged to rotate reversely, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, by reference to which it will also be seen the cradles P have forwardly-extending pendent members having slots to receive the ends of the roll N, as hereinbefore described.

By supporting the roll V in the cradles P and connecting such cradles with the roll N the said roll V will be drawn downward as the roll N is drawn forward, and in connection with such roll (both rolls N andV being rotated forwardly) will form an initial feed mechanism to grip the leaf and assist to feed it to the stripping-rolls when such rolls are arranged to operate as feed-rolls, it being understood that so soon as the said strippingrolls are reversed such rolls N and V will part and assume their normal positions and functions, the lower one to aid in feeding the separated leaf portion down through the discharge-passage and the upper to serve as a guide and clearing roll for the upper stripping-roll.

When stripping-rolls having a rotation in one direction only are employed, I utilize the cradle devices as a means for temporarily parting the stripping-rolls, and for such purpose sueh cradles are pivoted to the sides of the frame, as at P (see Fig. 7,) so that when the front ends of such cradles are pulled down the rear ends will be slightly elevated and the upper stripping-roll raised from contact with the lower roll, as'clearly shown in Fig. 8, such separation of the rolls taking place in the practical operation of the machine as the stop devices, presently referred to, are elevated to permit of the free passage to the drawing-rolls, the receding or closing-down operation of the said upper stripping-roll occurring as soon as the stem has been caught by the draw-rolls. By this latter construction of stripping-rolls it is manifest that a positive feed of the leaf to the drawing-rolls is provided for, and inasmuch as the said stripping-rolls need travel but in one direction a more simplified arrangement of drive mechanism can be employed than that necessary to transmit an intermittent reverse motion.

The stop mechanism heretofore referred to, I

which forms an essential feature of this invention, is in the nature of a drop-plate arranged to close down over the discharge end of the feed belt or belts and temporarily holds the leaf from feeding to the stripping mechanism. This stop-plate may be a continuous plate extended across the entire discharge end of the feed-table, but in the preferred construction such stop mechanism consists of a series of drop-plates V one for each feedway, arranged to be elevated in unison but independently movable.

By referring more particularly to Figs. 2, 4, and 6, which clearly illustrate the stop devices, X indicates a rock-shaft journaled transversely over the feed-table, on which the plates W which are adapted to drop by gravity, are loosely hung, they having each a central slot w to admit of a free up movement over the lift-pins X, secured to the rockshaft, which shaft carries at one end the slotted crank-arm, heretofore referred to, which is so arranged and connected with the roller N that so soon as the said roller and the roll V are moved to serve as a feeding means is vibrated in a direction to lift all of the plates W and admit of the leaves in the several feedways being fed to the strippingrolls.

anism is that it admits of a regular operation of the operator in feeding the leaves into the several feedways, as the operator is not required to steady or straighten the leaf as it is about to pass into the stripping-rolls, as

the stop will automatically rise and admit of The important advantage of the stop mechhas been fully drawn into the stripping-rolls they will effectively serve to close the feedway against the next leaf until the stripping devices are in proper position to receive them.

Although the stop-plates are dropped by gravity onto the leaves, they will not retard their forward movement in case they are gripped and drawn forward by the initial feed-rolls, the stripping or drawing rolls.

It will be noticed that as the feed-table is formed with a series of feedways of such a nature as to feed the leaves forward in a direction at right angles to the axes of the stripping and drawing rolls it follows that they will pass into such rolls in a uniformly separated or parallel position, and consequently will not cross or engage each other in their passage through the several rolls, such operation being a greatly desired one, as it admits of a uniform separation of the stem and leaf without the least clogging of the several rolls.

It is understood that changes in proportions and details of construction may be made without departure from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the combination with the leaf drawing and stripping mechanism, and a feedway of a gravity drop-leaf stop, arranged in such feedway and means for raising such stop at proper times operated by the stripping mechanism as set forth.

2. In a tobacco-stripping machine, a feedway, and a leaf stop held therein, means for raising same at predetermined intervals, said step having a limited free lift movement independent of the means for raising it, substantially as shown and described.

3. I11 a tobacco-stripping machine, a feedway having a series of independent feedbelts, a single drawing and stripping mechanism common to all the feedways, and a series of leaf-stops, one for each feedway, having each a limited, free and independent movement upward and automatically-operated means for raising all the stops in unison as specified.

4. In a tobacco-stemming machine, the combination of a drawing mechanism, stripper-rolls arranged in advance of the drawing mechanism, and means to separate the stripper-rolls and bring them together again at predetermined intervals substantially as described.

5. I11 a tobacco-stemming machine, the combination of drawing-rolls, automatic feed devices, stripper-rolls disposed between the feed devices and drawing-rolls, and means for parting the said stripper-rolls as the butt of the leaf is passed through them to engage the drawing-rolls as specified.

6. In a tobacco-stemming machine the combination with drawing-rolls, and feed devices arranged substantially as shown, of a pair of superposed contacting stripper-rolls rotating in a direction reverse to rotation of said drawing-rolls, and means for separating the stripper-rolls during the passage of the butt-end of the leaf to the drawing-rolls as specified.

7. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the combination with the drawing-rolls, and the stripping-rolls arranged in advance thereof, a pair of movable rolls held in advance of the stripping-rolls, means for alternately bringing such rolls together to form feed-rolls, and for separating such rolls and bringing the upper one of such rolls in close relation to the upper stripping-roll whereby to form a cleaner-roll therefor as specified.

8. In atobaccofstemnling machine, the combination of an initial feeding device, stripping and drawing rolls and a supplemental pair of feed-rolls located between the initial feed device and the stripper-rolls and means for separating said feed-rolls and bringing them together again at predetermined intervals, substantially as described.

9. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the combination of an initial feeding device,strippingrolls, and feed-rolls arranged between the initial feed device and stripping-rolls, the upper roll being movable in the arc of a circle, with means for raising and lowering it, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the combination of an initial feeding device, a stop device, stripping-rolls, feeding-rolls arranged between the initial feed device and the stripping-rolls, said feeding-rolls being movable toward and away from each other the movement of the upper roll being greater than the lower one and means for operating the feeding-rolls in the manner set forth and for the purposes described.

11. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the combination of feeding-belts, stripping and drawing rolls, and feeding-rolls arranged between the stripping-rolls and feeding-belts, said feeding-rolls being movable toward each other in arcs of circles, and means for operating the feeding-rolls in the manner stated.

12. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the combination of an initial feeding device, a stop device, stripping and drawing rolls and intermediate feed-rolls movable toward each other, and means for moving the said feedrolls in the manner stated substantially as shown and described.

13. In a tobacco -stripping machine, the combination of an initial feeding device, a stop device, and the feed-rolls movable to and from each other, and means for operatively connecting the said rolls and stop device whereby as the rolls move toward each other, the step will be raised, means for moving the feed-rolls to and from each other substantially as shown and described.

14. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the combination of a series of feedways each having a feed-belt and a stop device, separable feed-rolls and operative connections between the feed-rolls and stop device for the purpose described, the drawing and stripping rolls, and means for separating and closing the feed-rolls substantially as shown and described.

15. In a tobacco-stemming machine, the combination with a feed-table, having a series of feedways each of a width to admit of the free passage of the leaf lengthwise and preclude the passage thereof crosswise, stripping-rolls extended across the discharge end of the table, and leaf-drawing devices, a stop device located within each feedway having an independent movement, and means for raising the stop devices in unison, substantially as specified.

16. In a tobacco-stemming machine the combination of a feed-table having a series of feedways each of a width to admit of the free passage of the leaf endwise and preclude the passage thereof crosswise, a stripping and drawing mechanism common to all the feed- 'ways, and a stop device in each feedway, having a limited up movement independent of the other stops together as set forth.

17. In a tobaccostripping machine, the combination of an initial feed device, a stop device, separable feed-rolls, a rocking arm and cradle said cradle carrying one of the feed-rolls and connections between said stop device and rocking arm and cradle, whereby as the stop device is raised the feeding-rolls are separated substantially as shown and described.

18. In a tobaccostripping machine, the combination of an initial feed device, a stop device, separable feed-rolls, a rocking arm and cradle and connections between said cradle, arm and stop device, and strippingrolls substantially as shown and described.

19. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the combination of an initial; feed device, a stop device, separable feed-rolls, rocking arm and cradle, stripping-rolls, the upper one of which is journaled in the cradle, the drawing-rolls and connections between said rocking arm,

cradle and stop device, substantially as shown and described.

20. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the

combination of the stripping and drawing rolls, a feed-roll, normally on the level of the lower stripper-roll, a rocking arm carrying said roll, an upper feed-roll, a cradle carrying said roll, and connections between the said rock-arm and cradle, whereby when the lower roll is moved up, the upper roll will be moved down and vice versa, substantially as shown and described.

21. In a tobacco-stripping machine, the combination with the stripping mechanism, and a series of feedways, of a leaf-stop for each feedway, having an independent lift movement and means for raising all of such stops in unison as set forth.

' 22. In a tobacco-stemming machine, the combination with feed devices, draw-rolls, and a rocking arm, of superposed contacting stripper-rolls rotated in a direction reverse to anism, and to close such rolls to engage the leaf when the butt of the leaf is engaged by the drawing mechanism, means for operating the stripper-rolls as stated substantially as shown and described.

24.. The combination with a feed and drawin g mechanism, of the intermittently opening and closing stripping-rolls, arranged between the said feed and drawing mechanism and mechanism for operating the. stripping-rolls substantially as shown and described.

JOSEPH B. UNDERWOOD.

Witnesses:

M. JEROME PENDERGAST, G. DAVIS NEAVITT. 

